WO2012117716A1

WO2012117716A1 - Marking device

Info

Publication number: WO2012117716A1
Application number: PCT/JP2012/001326
Authority: WO
Inventors: 武彦若園
Original assignee: 株式会社神戸製鋼所
Priority date: 2011-03-01
Filing date: 2012-02-27
Publication date: 2012-09-07
Also published as: EP2682735A4; CN103392123A; TWI448677B; CN103392123B; US8794723B2; EP2682735B1; US20130335502A1; JP2012181079A; KR20130129273A; TW201245681A; JP5680447B2; EP2682735A1; KR101482900B1

Abstract

A marking head (1) of a marking device (100) comprises: at least one marking pin (2); a heater (3) that heats the marking pin (2); a support base (8) that supports a first thermal transfer tape (6a) and a second thermal transfer tape (6b) in such a manner that the first thermal transfer tape (6a) and the second thermal transfer tape (6b) line up in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the marketing pin (2); a drive device (10) that is capable of moving the support base (8) to a first position at which the first thermal transfer tape (6a) faces the marking pin (2), and a second position at which the second thermal transfer tape (6b) faces the marking pin (2); and push-out devices (5a, 5b, 5c) that push the marking pin (2) out toward the thermal transfer tape facing the marking pin (2) in order to press the thermal transfer tape facing the marking pin (2) against a tire (7) and print on the tire (7).

Description

Marking device

The present invention relates to a marking device for marking a tire after a performance test.

The tires that have been performance tested by the tire testing machine are marked. In this marking process, the heated marking pin presses the thermal transfer tape against the tire, whereby a desired mark is printed on the tire by thermal transfer.

In Patent Document 1, two tapes are arranged so as to be adjacent to each other in a substantially circumferential direction (tangential direction) of the tire, and two markings are assigned to each of the two tapes, thereby providing two markings on the tire. A marking device for application is disclosed. In this marking device, it is possible to make the print colors different from each other by making the colors of the two tapes different.

However, the marking device of Patent Document 1 is difficult to use when there are few printable areas on the tire surface because the two printing positions on the tire surface differ in the circumferential direction. Further, when marking is performed at the same position of the same type of tire while switching the tape to be used, it is necessary to adjust the position of the tire in the circumferential direction so that the printing position is located immediately below the tape to be used. For this purpose, control for adjusting the rotation stop position of the spindle and control for adjusting the rotation angle of the marking pin with respect to the tire are required for each tape to be used.

On the other hand, Patent Document 2 discloses a marking device in which two tapes are arranged in the tire radial direction. According to this configuration, when marking is performed on the same position of the same type of tire while switching the tape to be used, it is not necessary to adjust the position of the tire in the circumferential direction.

However, in the marking device of Patent Document 2, since separate marking pins are assigned to each of the two tapes, an accessory device (such as a drive mechanism and a temperature adjustment mechanism) is required for each marking pin, which complicates the device. There are disadvantages in terms of production costs. Further, when marking is performed at the same position of the same type of tire while switching the tape to be used, it is necessary to adjust the position of the tire in the radial direction so that the printing position is located immediately below the tape to be used. For that purpose, every time the tape is switched, it is necessary to adjust the tire stop position by the transport conveyor or to adjust the stop position in the tire radial direction of the marking device itself.

JP 2000-329658 A JP 2006-95738 A

An object of the present invention is to provide a marking device capable of simplifying the device and marking the same position of the same type of tire while switching the tape to be used.

The marking device according to the present invention includes a marking head that prints on a tire, and a proximity device that brings the marking head close to the surface of the tire. The marking head includes at least one marking pin, a heater for heating the marking pin, the first thermal transfer tape, and the second thermal transfer tape arranged in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the marking pin. A support base for supporting the thermal transfer tape and the second thermal transfer tape; a first position where the first thermal transfer tape faces the marking pin; and a second position where the second thermal transfer tape faces the marking pin. A driving device capable of moving a support base, and an extrusion for extruding the marking pin toward the thermal transfer tape facing the marking pin in order to press the thermal transfer tape facing the marking pin against the tire and print on the tire And a device.

Fig.1 (a) is a front view which shows the marking apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, FIG.1 (b) is a side view of the said marking apparatus. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a main part A in FIG. 3A is a top view showing the marking head in the marking device, FIG. 3B is a front view showing the marking head, and FIG. 3C is a side view showing the marking head. FIG. 3 (d) is a side view of the main part B in FIG. 3 (b).

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Configuration of marking device)
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the marking device 100 according to the present embodiment includes a marking head 1 that prints on the tire 7, a conveyor 14 that conveys the tire 7, and the marking head 1 on the surface of the tire 7. And an air cylinder (proximity device) 16 to be brought close to.

The tire 7 that has been subjected to various performance tests by a tire testing machine (not shown) is delivered onto the conveyor 14 by a center conveyor (not shown). The marking head 1 supported by the lift frame 32 is disposed above the conveyor 14 that conveys the tire 7 so as to face the conveyor 14 in the vertical direction. The configuration of the marking head 1 will be described later.

The air cylinder 16 is erected on the frame 31 and moves the marking head 1 up and down in the vertical direction by moving the lift frame 32 up and down. As shown in FIG. 1B, which is a side view of the marking device 100, guide members 15 that guide the lifting and lowering of the lift frame 32 are respectively provided before and after the air cylinder 16 in the conveying direction of the conveyor 14. These guide members 15 extend upward from the frame 31.

The sidewall of the tire 7 faces upward on the conveyor 14. When printing on the tire 7, the conveyor 14 conveys the tire 7 to below the marking head 1 and stops the tire 7 at the printing position. The air cylinder 16 moves the marking head 1 to a proximity position where the marking head 1 is close to the surface of the tire 7. Here, the proximity position means that printing can be performed on the tire 7 when the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c are pushed out toward the

thermal transfer tapes

6a, 6b by air cylinders (extrusion devices) 5a, 5b, 5c described later. Says the position.

The stop of the tire 7 at the printing position is appropriately controlled based on the conveyance distance of the tire 7 by the conveyor 14. For example, when a sensor (not shown) for detecting the edge of the tire 7 is provided at a position (conveyor passing position) where the tire 7 conveyed by the conveyor 14 passes, the conveyance distance is determined by the sensor. It is obtained by calculating the moving distance of the conveyor 14 from the detected position. A controller (not shown) determines the size of the tire 7 in the radial direction based on the type information of the tire 7 conveyed by the conveyor 14. The type of the tire 7 is determined, for example, by a sensor (not shown) on the conveyor 14 and the determined data is sent to the controller. Then, the tire 7 is accurately positioned at the print position based on the passing information by the sensor, the size information in the radial direction of the tire, and the moving distance of the conveyor 14.

The air cylinder 16 is provided with a brake mechanism so that it can be stopped in the middle of the stroke. This brake mechanism brakes the air cylinder 16 when the tire 7 comes into contact with a tire contact switch 17 (see FIG. 2) described later.

As shown in FIG. 2, which is an enlarged view of the main part A of FIG. 1B, the marking head 1 is horizontally mounted between a pair of substantially L-

shaped support frames

26 and 26 attached to the lift frame 32. It is attached to the passed rotary shaft 27 so as to be swingable. In addition, an angle adjusting mechanism 23 that swings the marking head 1 and a linear sensor 20 that measures the angle of the marking head 1 are provided below the lift frame 32. The angle of the marking head 1 is adjusted by the angle adjusting mechanism 23 so as to be an angle suitable for printing with respect to the tire 7.

The angle adjusting mechanism 23 is a link member that links the movable body 23a that moves horizontally along the conveying direction of the conveyor 14 by the ball screw 18 and a motor (not shown) that rotates the ball screw 18, and the upper portion of the marking head 1. 23b.

In such a configuration, when the movable body 23a moves rightward in FIG. 2, the upper part of the marking head 1 moves rightward by the link member 23b. As a result, the marking head 1 rotates clockwise around the rotation shaft 27, and the lower part of the marking head 1 swings to the upper left. When the movable body 23a moves leftward in FIG. 2, the upper part of the marking head 1 moves leftward by the link member 23b. Thereby, the marking head 1 rotates counterclockwise about the rotation shaft 27, and the lower part of the marking head 1 swings to the upper right. The angle of the marking head 1 is measured by the linear sensor 20. Thereby, the angle of the marking head 1 is adjusted to an angle suitable for printing.

Further, a tire contact switch 17 for detecting contact with the tire 7 is provided below the marking head 1. The tire contact switch 17 includes a rod-shaped body 17a and a limit switch (not shown). When the distal end side of the rod-shaped body 17a comes into contact with the tire 7, a limit switch located on the proximal end side is activated. When the limit switch is activated, the air cylinder 16 is braked and the operation of the air cylinder 16 is stopped. Thereby, an appropriate distance is formed between the tire 7 and the marking head 1.

Further, a support 21 is rotatably attached to the lower part of the marking head 1. The support 21 is for pressing the back side of the tire 7 and preventing the tire 7 from being dented when the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c (see FIG. 3) are pressed against the tire 7. An air cylinder 22 is attached to the marking head 1 so that the rod faces downward. The air cylinder 22 drives the support 21 to rotate.

(Configuration of marking head)
As shown in FIG. 3, the marking head 1 has three marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c, a heater 3 for heating the marking pins 2a, 2b, 2c, and a support for supporting the two

thermal transfer tapes

6a, 6b. A base 8, an air cylinder (drive device) 10 for moving the support base 8, air cylinders (extrusion devices) 5a, 5b, 5c for pushing the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c toward the opposing

thermal transfer tapes

6a, 6b, have.

Here, as shown in FIG. 3C, which is a side view showing the marking head 1, the marking head 1 has a main plate 1a to which an air cylinder 22 (see FIG. 2) is attached. The main plate 1a is formed with a hole 1b through which the rotary shaft 27 (see FIG. 2) is inserted and a hole 1c through which the link member 23b (see FIG. 2) is connected. The main plate 1a is provided with marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c, a heater 3, an air cylinder 10, and

air cylinders

5a, 5b, 5c. The support 8 that supports the two

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b is movable in a direction toward and away from the main plate 1a by an air cylinder 10 provided on the main plate 1a.

As shown in FIG. 3B, which is a front view showing the marking head 1, the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c can be advanced and retracted in the longitudinal direction. The tips of the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c are formed in a shape such as a circle or a triangle according to the shape to be printed. As shown in FIG. 3D, which is a side view of the main part B of FIG. 3B, the heater 3 heats the block 4 into which the marking pins 2 (2a, 2b, 2c) are inserted, The marking pins 2a, 2b, 2c can be heated. By this heater 3, the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c are adjusted to a temperature suitable for the

thermal transfer tapes

6a, 6b.

As shown in FIG. 3 (c), the support base 8 supports two

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b. The two

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b are arranged in the D direction orthogonal to the C direction that is the longitudinal direction of the marking

pins

2a, 2b, and 2c. The

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b are tapes coated with ink that is transferred to a transfer object when heat is applied. In the present embodiment, the colors of the thermal transfer tape 6a and the thermal transfer tape 6b are different from each other. The thermal transfer tape 6a is disposed closer to the air cylinder 10 (back side) than the thermal transfer tape 6b. As shown in FIG. 3 (b), the thermal transfer tape 6a is sent out from the delivery reel 24a arranged on the right side of the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c in FIG. 3 (b), and in FIG. It is wound up on a take-up reel 24b arranged on the left side of 2a, 2b, 2c. The take-up reel 24b is rotated by a motor 9a (see FIG. 3A). The thermal transfer tape 6b is fed from a delivery reel 25a arranged on the right side of the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c in FIG. 3B, and arranged on the left side of the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c in FIG. 3B. It is wound around the wound take-up reel 25b. The take-up reel 25b is rotated by a motor 9b (see FIG. 3A).

The delivery reel 24a has a circular plate 12a, and a proximity switch 13a (see FIG. 3C) is provided in the vicinity of the delivery reel 24a. The delivery reel 25a has a circular plate 12b, and a proximity switch 13b (see FIG. 3C) is provided in the vicinity of the delivery reel 25a. A plurality of through holes are provided near the outer periphery of the

circular plates

12a and 12b. As the

circular plates

12a and 12b rotate as the

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b are fed, the proximity switches 13a and 13b are turned ON / OFF every time a through hole provided near the outer periphery passes through the proximity switches 13a and 13b. Thus, the rotation of the

circular plates

12a and 12b is detected. Thereby, the amount of the

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b delivered and the tape breakage are monitored. When the take-up

reels

24b and 25b are being wound, but the rotation of the

delivery reels

24a and 25a is not detected, it is detected that the tape has run out.

As shown in FIG. 3C, an air cylinder 10 is connected to the support base 8. The air cylinder 10 can move the support base 8 to the first position and the second position. The first position is a position where the thermal transfer tape 6a (first thermal transfer tape 6a) faces the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c. The second position is a position where the thermal transfer tape 6b (second thermal transfer tape 6b) faces the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c. The air cylinder 10 has a rod that can expand and contract the support base 8 in the direction from the first position to the second position and in the opposite direction. This rod is connected to the support base 8.

Specifically, in this embodiment, the air cylinder 10 moves one of the two

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b to the marking

pins

2a, 2b, and 2c in the C direction by moving the support base 8 in the D direction. Let When the stroke of the air cylinder 10 is maximum, the thermal transfer tape 6a on the back side (right side in FIG. 3C) faces the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c, and the front side (when the stroke of the air cylinder 10 is minimum ( The thermal transfer tape 6b in FIG. 3C (left side) faces the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c. In the present embodiment, the air cylinder 10 is an air cylinder with a guide, and the support base 8 is moved in the D direction while the support base 8 is guided in the D direction by the guide.

As shown in FIG. 3 (b), the

air cylinders

5a, 5b, 5c push the corresponding marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c toward the opposing

thermal transfer tapes

6a, 6b by the extension of the rod. Thereby, the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c are pressed against the opposing

thermal transfer tapes

6a, 6b. Specifically, the air cylinder 5a pushes the marking pin 2a toward the opposed

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b, the air cylinder 5b pushes the marking pin 2b toward the opposed

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b, and the air cylinder 5c is marked. The pin 2c is pushed out toward the opposing

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b. Of the

air cylinders

5a, 5b, and 5c, the rod of the air cylinder that matches the printing conditions is extended, and the marking pins corresponding to the air cylinder are pressed against the

heat transfer tapes

6a and 6b, whereby the

heat transfer tapes

6a and 6b. Is pressed against the tire 7 and printing on the tire 7 is performed.

The marking pins 2a, 2b, and 2c are inserted into the

coil springs

11a, 11b, and 11c and have

upper end portions

19a, 19b, and 19c having a diameter larger than that of the

coil springs

11a, 11b, and 11c. The coil springs 11a, 11b, and 11c are disposed between the

upper ends

19a, 19b, and 19c of the marking

pins

2a, 2b, and 2c and the block 4 so as to be extendable and contractable. When the rods of the

air cylinders

5a, 5b, 5c are extended and the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c are pressed against the

thermal transfer tapes

6a, 6b, the upper ends 19a, 19b, 19c of the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c and the block 4 Are close to each other, the

coil springs

11a, 11b, and 11c are contracted. Thereafter, when the extended rods of the

air cylinders

5a, 5b, 5c are retracted and returned to the original position, the contracted

coil springs

11a, 11b, 11c are extended, so that the upper ends 19a of the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c are expanded. , 19b, 19c are separated from the block 4. Thereby, the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c pressed against the

thermal transfer tapes

6a, 6b are separated from the

thermal transfer tapes

6a, 6b and returned to the original position.

(Operation of marking device)
Next, the marking operation on the tire 7 by the marking device 100 will be described. In addition, operation | movement of each part of the marking apparatus 100 described below is controlled by the controller (not shown) of the tire test system provided with the marking apparatus 100.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, the marking head 1 is arranged at the origin position vertically above the printing position due to the degeneration of the air cylinder 16. Thereafter, the tire 7 is conveyed to the bottom of the marking head 1 by the conveyor 14 and stops at the printing position.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the angle of the marking head 1 is adjusted by the angle adjusting mechanism 23.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3, the desired thermal transfer tape of the two

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b is disposed opposite to the marking

pins

2a, 2b and 2c by the expansion or contraction of the air cylinder 10. That is, when the thermal transfer tape 6a is used, the rod of the air cylinder 10 extends until the stroke of the air cylinder 10 is maximized, so that the thermal transfer tape 6a on the back side faces the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c. Be placed. On the other hand, when the thermal transfer tape 6b is used, the rod of the air cylinder 10 is retracted until the stroke of the air cylinder 10 is minimized, so that the thermal transfer tape 6b on the near side faces the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c. Be placed.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1, the marking head 1 is lowered by the extension of the rod of the air cylinder 16. When the rod-like body 17a (see FIG. 2) of the tire contact switch 17 contacts the tire 7, the air cylinder 16 is braked, and an appropriate distance is formed between the tire 7 and the marking head 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the back side of the tire 7 is pressed by the support 21 by driving the air cylinder 22.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3, of the three marking

pins

2a, 2b, and 2c, a desired marking pin is pushed toward the thermal transfer tape by the corresponding air cylinder and is pressed against the desired thermal transfer tape. Thereby, since this thermal transfer tape is pressed against the tire 7, a desired mark is printed on the sidewall of the tire 7.

In this way, by adopting a configuration in which the

common marking pins

2a, 2b, and 2c are used for the two

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b, and the thermal transfer tape opposed to the marking

pins

2a, 2b, and 2c is switched. Each of the two

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b is pressed against the tire 7 by

common marking pins

2a, 2b and 2c. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a marking pin or an accessory device such as a heater for heating the marking pin for each of the

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b, so that the apparatus can be simplified. Further, since the positions of the marking

pins

2a, 2b, and 2c are not changed even when the thermal transfer tape to be used is switched, the printing positions are always below the marking

pins

2a, 2b, and 2c. Therefore, in this embodiment, when marking the same position of the same type of tire 7, it is not necessary to adjust the position of the tire 7 in the circumferential direction or the radial direction, and the same type of tire is switched by switching the thermal transfer tape to be used. 7 can be marked at the same position. Such marking at the same position can be suitably used for flat tires with a small number of printable surfaces and tires with complicated patterns.

Also, the two types of

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b can be properly used by simply switching the stroke of the air cylinder 10 between the maximum and minimum. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a complicated stop mechanism.

When the mark is printed on the sidewall of the tire 7 as described above, the rod of the air cylinder that has pushed out the marking pin is returned to the home position. Thereby, the marking pin that has been pushed out returns to the origin position by the force of the coil spring 11. Further, the support 21 holding the back side of the tire 7 is separated from the tire 7. Thereafter, the marking head 1 returns to the origin position vertically above the printing position due to the degeneration of the air cylinder 16. Further, when the take-up reel that winds up the used thermal transfer tape rotates, the used thermal transfer tape is taken up on the take-up reel by a predetermined amount. Thereby, it will be in the standby state in which the marking operation | movement to the next tire 7 is possible. Then, the above operation is repeated.

(effect)
As described above, in the marking device 100 according to the present embodiment, the support base 8 that supports the two

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b is orthogonal to the C direction that is the longitudinal direction of the marking

pins

2a, 2b, and 2c. By moving in the D direction, one of the two

thermal transfer tapes

6a, 6b is made to face the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c. The marking pins 2a, 2b, and 2c are pressed against the opposing thermal transfer tape, whereby a color mark corresponding to the thermal transfer tape is printed on the tire 7. In this way, by adopting a configuration in which the

common marking pins

2a, 2b, and 2c are used for the two

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b, and the thermal transfer tape that is opposed to the marking

pins

2a, 2b, and 2c is switched, the 2 Each of the

thermal transfer tapes

6a, 6b is pressed against the tire 7 by

common marking pins

2a, 2b, 2c. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a marking pin or an accessory device such as a heater for heating the marking pin for each of the

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b, so that the apparatus can be simplified.

Further, since the positions of the marking

pins

2a, 2b, and 2c. Therefore, in this embodiment, when marking the same position of the same type of tire 7, it is not necessary to adjust the position of the tire 7 in the circumferential direction or the radial direction, and the same type of tire is switched by switching the thermal transfer tape to be used. 7 can be marked at the same position.

Also, the two types of

thermal transfer tapes

6a and 6b can be properly used by simply switching the stroke of the air cylinder 10 between the maximum and minimum.

The specific embodiments described above mainly include inventions having the following configurations.

A marking device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a marking head that prints on a tire, and a proximity device that brings the marking head close to the surface of the tire. The marking head includes at least one marking pin, a heater for heating the marking pin, the first thermal transfer tape, and the second thermal transfer tape arranged in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the marking pin. A support base for supporting the thermal transfer tape and the second thermal transfer tape; a first position where the first thermal transfer tape faces the marking pin; and a second position where the second thermal transfer tape faces the marking pin. A driving device capable of moving a support base, and an extrusion for extruding the marking pin toward the thermal transfer tape facing the marking pin in order to press the thermal transfer tape facing the marking pin against the tire and print on the tire And a device.

In this configuration, the support base that supports the first thermal transfer tape and the second thermal transfer tape is moved to the first position to oppose the marking pin of the first thermal transfer tape, and the support base is moved to the second position. This is made to oppose the marking pin of the second thermal transfer tape. Then, the marking pin is pressed against the thermal transfer tape facing the marking pin, so that the thermal transfer tape is pressed against the tire. Thereby, the mark of the color according to the thermal transfer tape is printed on the tire. Thus, by adopting a configuration in which a common marking pin is used for a plurality of thermal transfer tapes and the thermal transfer tape opposed to the marking pins is switched, each of the plurality of thermal transfer tapes is tired by a common marking pin. Pressed against. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide an accessory device such as a marking pin or a heater for heating the marking pin for each thermal transfer tape, so that the apparatus can be simplified.

In this configuration, the position of the marking pin does not change even when the thermal transfer tape to be used (the thermal transfer tape opposed to the marking pin) is switched, so the lower part of the marking pin is always the printing position. Therefore, in this configuration, when marking the same position of the same type of tire, it is not necessary to adjust the position of the tire in the circumferential direction or the radial direction, and the same position of the same type of tire is switched by switching the thermal transfer tape to be used. Can be marked. Moreover, when the thermal transfer tapes of different colors are included in the plurality of thermal transfer tapes, marking with different printing colors can be performed. Moreover, when the same color thermal transfer tape is contained in the plurality of thermal transfer tapes, the frequency of tape replacement can be reduced.

Further, in the marking device, the driving device includes a cylinder capable of extending and contracting the support base in the direction from the first position to the second position and in the opposite direction, and the cylinder is connected to the support base. When the cylinder stroke is maximum, the support is positioned at the first position, the first thermal transfer tape faces the marking pin, and when the cylinder stroke is minimum, the support is May be located at the second position, and the second thermal transfer tape may face the marking pin. According to the above configuration, the first thermal transfer tape and the second thermal transfer tape can be selectively used by simply switching the stroke of the cylinder between the maximum and minimum.

(Modification of this embodiment)
The embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but only specific examples are illustrated, and the present invention is not particularly limited, and the specific configuration and the like can be appropriately changed in design. Further, the actions and effects described in the embodiments of the invention only list the most preferable actions and effects resulting from the present invention, and the actions and effects according to the present invention are described in the embodiments of the present invention. It is not limited to the ones.

For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the colors of the thermal transfer tape 6a and the thermal transfer tape 6b are different is illustrated, but these two colors may be the same. In this case, for example, by using one of the thermal transfer tapes 6a and then using the other thermal transfer tape 6b, the frequency of tape replacement can be reduced compared to a marking head on which only one thermal transfer tape can be mounted. 2 can be reduced.

Also, the number of thermal transfer tapes is not limited to two and may be three or more. In this case, the stroke of the air cylinder (driving device) 10 may be adjusted in multiple stages so that the thermal transfer tape to be used faces the marking

pins

2a, 2b, 2c.

In the above-described embodiment, the air cylinder 10 with a guide is described as an example of a drive device, but the guide and the air cylinder may be separate. In addition, an electric cylinder may be used instead of the air cylinder, or a driving device using a motor and a rack and pinion, or a driving device using a motor, a linear motion guide, and a ball screw may be used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Marking head

1a Main plate

2a, 2b, 2c Marking pin 3 Heater 4

Block

5a, 5b,

5c Air cylinder

6a, 6b Thermal transfer tape 7 Tire 8

Support base

9a, 9b Motor 10

Air cylinder

11a, 11b,

11c Coil spring

12a,

12b Circular plates

13a, 13b Proximity switch 14 Conveyor 15 Guide member 16 Air cylinder 17 Tire contact switch 18 Ball screw 20 Linear sensor 21 Support 22 Air cylinder 23

Angle adjustment mechanism

24a,

25a Delivery reel

24b, 25b Take-up reel 26 Support frame 27 Rotation Shaft 31 Frame 32 Lift frame 100 Marking device

Claims

A marking head for printing on the tire;
A proximity device for bringing the marking head close to the surface of the tire,
The marking head is
At least one marking pin;
A heater for heating the marking pin;
A support base for supporting the first thermal transfer tape and the second thermal transfer tape so that the first thermal transfer tape and the second thermal transfer tape are aligned in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the marking pin;
A drive device capable of moving the support to a first position where the first thermal transfer tape faces the marking pin and a second position where the second thermal transfer tape faces the marking pin;
A marking device comprising: an extrusion device that pushes the marking pin toward the thermal transfer tape facing the marking pin in order to press the thermal transfer tape facing the marking pin against the tire and print on the tire.
The drive device includes a cylinder capable of extending and contracting the support base in the direction from the first position toward the second position and in the opposite direction.
The cylinder is connected to the support;
When the cylinder stroke is maximum, the support base is located at the first position, the first thermal transfer tape faces the marking pin, and when the cylinder stroke is minimum, the support base is the first position. The marking device according to claim 1, wherein the second thermal transfer tape is positioned at two positions and faces the marking pin.